Here are a couple of questions from Arnold Zack, Mediator/Professor at Harvard Law School:
I realize the focus of the Accord has been on factory safety which obviously impacts employees, but the greater problem is the workplace conditions of factory workers (wages, unpaid overtime, illegally long hours, punishment for unionizing, etc). Given the endemic corruption of the Bangladeshi government what avenues would you recommend for providing better wages and working conditions for its garment factory workers? Do you see the ILO amenable to undertaking the monitoring?
The practice of brands pulling business from a country when they suffer bad publicity from contractors oppressing workers, victimizes the workers once again and not the factory owner or the unscrupulous government officials. Is there a way of protecting the exploited workers in such situations to assure the factories continue with improved working conditions for their employees?
The EU Accord provides a binding robust program of worker protection including the right to unionize. Do you see the weaker voluntary American brand counterpart being strengthened or making our brands more accountable?